House speaker vote: Jim Jordan falls short; next vote is Wednesday

Jim Jordan Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, speaks briefly to reporters as he departs a House Republican Caucus at the U.S. Capitol Oct. 16, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

By Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

The House of Representatives went into recess on Tuesday afternoon after failing to elect a new speaker to serve in the chamber.

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Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, was chosen as the Republican Party’s nominee in a secret ballot Friday, 10 days after the historic ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy and one day after the previous nominee, Rep. Steve Scalise, dropped his bid for the speakership.

Democrats nominated the party’s top lawmaker in the House, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, to serve as speaker.

Jordan says next vote is Wednesday

Update 5:35 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: Rep. Jim Jordan, who was unable to receive enough votes to be elected House Speaker on Tuesday, said that a second round of balloting will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. EDT, CNN and NBC News reported.

During Tuesday’s first ballot, 20 Republicans voted for candidates other than the Ohio congressman, who needed 217 votes to succeed Kevin McCarthy as Speaker.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Spokesperson for Jordan: Expect another vote Tuesday

Update 3:20 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: A spokesperson for Rep. Jim Jordan said Tuesday to expect a second vote to elect the next House speaker later in the day.

“The House needs a speaker as soon as possible. Expect another round of votes today,” Russell Dye said. “It’s time for Republicans to come together.”

House goes into recess after Jordan fails to secure speakership

Update 1:55 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: The House has gone into recess following the vote for who will serve as the chamber’s next speaker.

Jordan, Jeffries fail to secure votes to win election

Update 1:50 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: The first vote Tuesday for House speaker ended without a winner after Jordan and Jeffries failed to secure enough support to take up the role.

The winner would have had to have won 217 votes to become the next speaker. The first vote ended Tuesday with 212 votes for Jeffries and 200 for Jordan.

Twenty Republicans declined to vote for Jordan, who was chosen as the GOP’s nominee during a secret ballot last week. The lawmakers were:

  • Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who voted for McCarthy.
  • Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who voted for Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn.
  • Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., who voted for McCarthy.
  • Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., who voted for former Rep. Lee Zeldin.
  • Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, who voted for Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif.
  • Rep. Mario Diaz Balart, R-Fla., who voted for Scalise.
  • Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., who voted for Zeldin.
  • Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who voted for McCarthy.
  • Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who voted for Scalise.
  • Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, who voted for Scalise.
  • Rep. John James, R-Mich., who voted for Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.
  • Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., who voted for Scalise.
  • Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., who voted for McCarthy.
  • Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., who voted for Zeldin.
  • Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., who voted for McCarthy.
  • Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who voted for McCarthy.
  • Rep. John Rutherford, R-Pa., who voted for Scalise.
  • Rep. Michael Simpson, R-Idaho, who voted for Scalise.
  • Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., voted for Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
  • Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., who voted for Scalise.

Some Republicans vote for former Rep. Zeldin

Update 1:35 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: At least three Republicans voted Tuesday to make former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., the next speaker of the House, though he threw his support behind Jordan one day earlier.

“With so many pressing issues facing our nation and world, America is not getting the leadership it needs from the White House and Senate,” he said in a post Monday on social media. “I’ve worked closely with Jim Jordan for many years and am confident he has the talent to do a great job as the next House Speaker.”

Jordan unlikely to win first vote after losing 3 Republicans

Update 1:15 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: Jordan has lost at least nine votes, indicating that he is unlikely to win the first vote Tuesday for the House speakership.

Jordan needs 217 votes to win the election. The numbers indicated that he could lose only three votes to claim victory, according to CNN.

Voting is ongoing.

Voting begins for next House speaker

Update 1 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: A roll call vote to determine who will serve as the next House speaker has begun.

Speaker nominee will need 217 votes to win

Update 12:55 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: The next person to serve as speaker of the House will need to secure 217 votes to take up the gavel if all lawmakers present vote Tuesday, according to NBC News.

A vote at the start of legislative business on Tuesday showed that 432 members of the House were present. One person was absent for a funeral and two seats are empty, NBC News reported.

Aguilar nominates Jeffries as next speaker

Update 12:50 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to serve as speaker of the House.

“With great respect for this institution, as chairman of the Democratic Caucus, I am directed by the vote of that caucus to present for election to the office of the speaker of the House of Representatives the name of the honorable Hakeem Jeffries,” Aguilar said.

Jeffries serves as the highest-ranking Democrat in the House.

Stefanik formally nominates Jordan as speaker

Update 12:45 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: On the House floor, Rep. Elise Stefanik officially nominated Jordan to serve as the next speaker of the chamber.

“We are at a time of great crisis across America, a time of historic challenges in this very chamber and a time when heinous acts of terror and evil have been committed against our great ally, Israel,” the New York Republican said in a speech on the House floor.

“As this body convenes for the sacred responsibility to elect the next speaker of the people’s House, I’m reminded of the book of Esther, for such a time as this. Jim Jordan will be America’s speaker for such a time as this.”

House called into session

Update 12:05 p.m. EDT Oct. 17: The House clerk called Tuesday’s session into order for legislative business around noon.

Jordan say he will do ‘whatever it takes to get a speaker today’

Update 11:55 a.m. EDT Oct. 17: Jordan told reporters that he would be willing to vote on as many ballots as necessary to get a new speaker into the House on Tuesday.

“We need to get a speaker today and we feel really good about where we’re at,” he said as he left his office. He added that he would do “whatever it takes to get a speaker today.”

Original report: In a letter shared Monday on social media, Jordan asked his colleagues for their support.

“The role of a Speaker is to bring all Republicans together,” he wrote. “That’s what I intend to do.”

[ House set to hold vote for new speaker on Tuesday; here’s what will happen ]

It was not immediately clear whether Jordan had enough support before the full House to secure the speakership.

The vote to nominate Jordan came one day after Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., announced that he had dropped his bid for the speakership due to a lack of support. The next speaker will need to win 217 votes before the full House in order to take up the gavel.

[ House votes to oust McCarthy, who will not try to regain speaker’s post ]

The House meets beginning at noon on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s vote is expected two weeks after the House ousted McCarthy from the top leadership position in the chamber.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., was named as McCarthy’s temporary replacement.